Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1887-01-27
KANSAS HISTORY.
Annual Meeting or the State Historical
9ncfety,

The aarua, meeting of the State Histoff
cal sac!ety was held at Topeka Oh the 18th:
at which large number of honorary tiisD,.
bcrs we're elected, and members of the
board Of directors chosen. The directors
presented their report Of the work Ct the
society for two years, as follows:
AN INTERESTING COLLECTION
Bound volumes added to the library, $50;
unbound volumes and paTspbiete, iO,U0ei tot-
umes Of newspapers and periodicals, 2,513; sim
gle newspapers and newspaper cuttings con
tanning special historical material, 763: maps,
aliases, etc, 81: manuscripts, 1,592: pictures,
263; miscellaneous contributions, III; scrip,
currency, etc., Il. This II will be seen that the
library additions OF books pamphlets and news
paper files during the two years number 1S.3S1
volumes. or these 1897 have been procured
by gift and LOLA by purchase. The total Of the
libary at the present time Is as follows; 8, S,s
bound volumes, 2i.103 unbound volumes, ,24s
bound newspaper file. and volumes Of periodi-
Gals; in all, 35,1J3 volumes.
The growth OF the library during the two
years has been greater than that for any SINH
lar period. This has been due in part to the
growth OF the State in population, adding to
the number Of home contributors TO our collec.
lions. 1t has been largely due to the fact that
the uninterrupted Prosperity Of the society for
the eleven Years OF its existence, and the un
parailcled growth OF its library in that period
mas gwen the society a reputation for perma-
ncncy which has attracted the attention of the
older libraries and library workers of the coun-
try, inducing great liberality on their part in
gifts to our library from their duplicate collec-
tiOns.
OF such older libraries which have contributed
largely to our collections during the past two
years, the Boston Public Library. the library Of
the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston,
and the library OF the American Antiquarian
Society. Worcester, Mass, have been most
liberal.
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
The accession of those publications OF the
United States Government which go to make
up the materials of the political history Of the
country has been unusually large: especially of
such as come under the head OF Congressional
Debates OF this class our library has received,
during the two years, seventeen volumes Of the
series denominated Annals OF Congress, cover
Ing the period from 1889 to 1924; twenty.nine
volumes OF the Register of Debates In Congress,
1924 20 1897: seventy-fou volumes of the Con.
greefiarGt Globe. 1893 to 1872: forty-two volumes
OF the Congressional Record, commencing with
the year 1873; in all 162 volumes OF this class
Thus with what we have otherwise secured With
very little cost to the State we have nearly
complete set of these volumes which contain
connected history OF the discussions in Congress
and in the country, OF every important subjec
Of public interest since the foundation Of the
Government, including that decade OF years in
which Kansas affairs occupied SO conspicuous
part in Congressional proceedings.
The unusual growth of the newspaper branch
OF our library Is a marked feature, and Of the
900 newspaper volumes now in the library,
1,l11 have been added during the year past.
There are how being published in the State
i13 ne wspaDers and periodicals, the regular IS
sues OF which are all being preserved in the
library of this society. 1t II the experience OF
historical research In these days that flies of
newspapers are the fountain head of all exact
data and information. And when It is consid
cred that this society has gathered very full
files Of the earliest newspapers published in
Kansas and that within the last eleven years It
has gathered all Kansas newspapers, and now
contSns nearly complete files Of all the news
papers published in the newer countless It may
be truly said that It's Work in this department
is unparalleled in the history of library max
ing. Our accumulation of materials of his
torical information of this class, touching the
whole country, has become very large.
A notable portion of the gift, ninety seven
volumes of newspaper files from the Boston
dates from 1861 to 1880. This is most rare and
valuable contribution to our library of news
paper files, and goes largely to increase the
richness of our collection in earlier dates in this
most important branch of historical materials.
One of the largest gifts of newspaper files
which the society has ever received, has come
during the year from Hon. F. p. Baker, OF
Topeka. This gift consists of sixty-five bound
almost wholly of Topeka newspapers,
published between the years 1850 and 1885
many Of them of the earlier years Of this pc
riod.
Among the manuscript accessions of interest
which have added to the very full history of this
class of historical material which the society
possesses may be mentioned gift made by
Mr.. Edward Byram, of Atchison County, of III
papers of his grandfather. Rev. lothian Meeker.
a missionary to Kansas Indians, and who set
up the first printing press in Kansas. Mr..
Meeker began printing in the spring of 1894, at
the Shawnee Baptist Mission, in what is now
known as johnson County, Kansas. He did
great deal OF printing, chiefly in the Indian Ian.
guages, for the use of missionaries of all demon.
nations in their efforts to instruct the various
tribes of Indians which then occupied that
portion Of the Indian Territory now in the
limits OF Kansas. His press was used for
twenty years in this work. and up to the time
when the settlement of Kansas was begun. The
press was afterwards owned by the well-known
Kansas editors, G. W. Brown. S. S. Prouty and
S. N. Wood The manuscript papers relate tc
Mr. Mecker's missionary work. to his printing
and to incidents pertaining to life among the
Indians in Michigan and Kansas during period
of thirty years.
The society has received largA accessions o,
pictures, historical recollections and miscellane
GUS contributions
The library and collections of the society have
grown far beyond the denominations for room in
The Statehous The board urges the impor-
1f Toll
for suitable and ample room for the
society for many years to come.
The new directors chosen were: J. G.
rru11, Edwardsville; J. B. Abbott, De
Soto; N. A. Adams, Manhattan; j. H.
lowing, Hays City; George W. Knapp,
Clyde; c. f. Faulkner, Salina; G. W.
Nealc, j. B. McAffee, T. A. Osborne, ]. K.
Topeka; Cyrus Leland, Troy; L.
B. Kellogg, Emporia; c. II. Kimball, Par
sons; Ii. H. Williams, Ossawatomie; DR..
Charles Williamson, Washington; E. B.
Crew. Delphos; A. w. Smith, Mcpherson;
[. A. McNeal, Medicine Lodge: 7. B. MUIR
dock, Ell Dorado; Noble L. Prentiss, Atchi
son; E. B. Purcell, Manhattan; John H.
Rice, Fort Scott; II. H. Kelly, Mcpherson:
A. L. Coleman, Ccntralia; I. T. Taylor,
w. S. Tilton, Wa Keeney; T.
Wane Amos, Gypsum City; T. S. Haun,
Ietmore; j. r.. Burton, Abilene; j. B. Clog
ston, Eureka; T. P. Fen:on and T. A. Hurd,
Leavenworth.
A resolution was adopted that the first
white man born in Kansas, Colonel A. S.
johnson, who was present, be requested to
donate his portrait to the society. Colonel
johnson subsequently sent the society a
ife-size crayon portrait of himself.
A Political RumOr From the Dominion.
OTTAWA, Ont, Jan. 19-The announce
nent last night that Secretary Of State
Chapleau has resigned from the Cabinet
IN account of some misunderstanding with